Machine for boxing sardine-cans and the like



R. F. routs, MACHINE FOR BOXING SARDINE CANS AND THE LIKE.

APPUCATION FILED JUNE 9, I915.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

6 SHEETS-SHEET I.

INVE/V TOR mas/ r f. Jam-m WITNESSES BY mw- A TTORNEFS R F. JONES MACHINE FOR eoxme SARDINE CANS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION HLED JUNE 9. I915.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

ESHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR R. F. JONES. MACHINE FOR BOXING SARDINE CANS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATIGN FILED JUNE 9, X915.

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MACHINE FOR BOXING SARDINE CANS AND THE UKE.

APPLICAHON FILED JUNE 9, l9l5.

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IIMHU l i ils W r miq aaml m WITNESSES MPUCATON FILED JUNE 9, I915.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

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3 7x /.m.. [uh 5 6 w A 3 WM a. w flu UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT F. JONES, OF EASTPORT, MAINE, ASSIGNOR TO WM. WALTKE & (10., OF ST.

LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

MACHINE FOR BOXING SARDINE-CANS AND THE LIKE.

Application filed June 9,

To all "whom. it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT F. Joxns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Eastport, Maine, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Machines for Boxing Sardinelans and the like. of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a machine by means of which the usual small tin or can of packed sardines, as ordinarily sold to the consumer. may be inclosed in a suitable pasteboard container for merchandizing pur ioses.

ll ore particularly my invention relates to a. machine of the character specified by means of which certain types of prepared containers or cartons, commercially manufactured in collapsed flat form, may be placed in bulk in a suitable magazine, withdrawn singly therefrom and then opened, the packed sardine can placed therein. and

the container then closed ready for shipment and sale.

Machines for packing matches, cigarettes,

seeds and other articles in cartons are not new, but I am not aware that any machine has hitherto been invented or used which is capable of filling and closing a type of carton suitable for sardine cans; nor do I know of any such earlier machine capable of packing sardine cans in any kind of carton, suitable or unsuitable.

My invention will be better understood by referring to the accompanying drawings showing a preferred form 0 my invention. In these drawings Figure 1 represents a front elevation of the machine, part being broken away; Fig. 2 represents a central longitudinal section through Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine, taken from above; Fig. 4 is a transverse section, enlarged, along the line 4.-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 51 is a transverse section along the line 5-4) of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a view, similar to Fig.4, along the line 6-43 of Fig. 3; Fig. 7 is a central longitudinal section, enlarged, from about the center to the delivery and of the machine as indicated by the line 77 of Fi 3; Fig. 8 is a plan view, still further en urged, of the carton end flap folding mechanism; Fig. 9 is a central longitudinal section. enlarged, through the magazine and Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented A pr. 20, 1920.

Serial No. 33.154.

carton delivering means; Fig. ll) is a plan view of Fig. 9; Fig. IL is a plan view of Fig. 9, taken from below; Fig. 12 is a transverse section taken through the line l2-12 of Fig. 11; Fig. 13 is a plan view of the collapsed carton positioned as it lies in the n'iagazine; Figs. ll and 15 are, respectively, a side elevation and a perspective view of the carton opened up for the reception of a sardine can but beibrc cithcr ends or lips are closed; and Fig. 16 represents an enlarged detail, in side elevation, of the star shaped cam which operates the carton depressing linger.

Briefly described the machine of my invcntion comprises a table having at one end a magazine in which a large number of col lapsed cartons may be stacked. A slide is arranged to intermittently move across the bottomof the magazine so as to remove one carton at a time. which carton is carried forward, opened, and placed in opened condition in a compartment of a lineally disposed chain convcyer. This convcyer is then advanced and the lilled compartment brought opposite a laterally disposed intermittently rotatable table upon which the packed sardin cans are placed. the lips at the end of the carton remote from the sardine can being simultancmisly closed. .\s the cartons successively stop opposite this table a sardine can is-swcpt into the carton by a suitable wiping device. The chain is then advanced. the remaining lips and both end llaps ol' the carton folded in. and the filled carton delivered l'roin the other end of the. machine.

In the descriptive matter herein, the side of the machine upon which the loose and driving pulleys are located is referred to as. the rear, and theopposite side as the front of the machine; the end of the machine op posite themagazinc is called the delivery end of the machine: the end of the carton into which the sardine can is inserted is termed the receiving end and the opposite end of the carton, the outer end.

In the drawings the operative mechanism is carried by a skeleton frame 1 comprising a base. two siiles, a1nl a top or table. The machine is driven from a main shaft. 2, by means of a main pulley. 3: a loose pulley, 4.

may be used when it is desired to throw the machine out of action. The shaft, 2, carries the driving element, 5, of: a Geneva stop, the receiving or driven element of which, 6, is carried by a suitable stub shaft, 7, mounted on one of the side frames. Shaft 7 has fixed upon it two sprocket wheels 8 and 9, the former carrying a chain 10 driving a sprocket wheel 11, of the same diameter as wheel 8, at the delivery end of the machine, and the latter driving a chain 12 which actuates a sprocket 13, twice the diameter of wheel 9, fixed upon a transverse shaft 14.

Sprocket wheel, 11, is fixed to a shaft which carries a pair of sprocket wheels, 15, between which and a second pair of sprocket wheels, 16, mounted at the other (magazine) end of the machine, is carried a conveyer chain, 17, the links of which are provided with spaced pairs of outwardly projecting pins carrying transverse partitions, 18, whereby are constituted compartments, 19, which receive and carry the cartons from one end of the machine to the other as the various operations, to be later described, are performed.

Fixed upon shaft, 14, at the end opposite sprocket wheel, 13, is a bevel gear, 20, which meshes with a similar gear, 21, of half the diameter; this drives a vertical shaft upon the top of which is fixed a rotatable cam feeding table, 22, disposed laterally of and substantially flush with the upper surface of the table. a

A cam, 23, is keyed upon main shaft, 2, and provided with a face groove 24 which is engaged by a pin, 25, carried at the upper end of a link 26 having its lower end pivoted upon a transverse shaft, 26', fixed to the frame. A horizontall disposed connecting rod 27 has its one end pivoted upon pin 25 and its other end pivotally attached to one end of a lever 28 fulcrumed upon the frame at 29. The other end of lever 28 is pivoted to a link 30 which is itself connected to a lag 30 of a slide 31 mounted on the under side of the magazine table 32.

The magazine, 33, is mounted upon the magazine table 32, at the receiving end of the machine, and is, substantially, a tall, skeleton sided, lidless compartment dimensioned to receive a stack of collapsed cartons 34. The construction of these cartons will, it is thought, be clear from Figs. 13 to 15. They are, preferably, of light card board. After the carton has been opened 11 as in Figs. 14 and 15, if it is desired to clhse the carton, the lips a, b,'and c, d, at the two ends are first folded in laterally. The end flap, e, is then bent upwardly and in wardly so as to fold along the dotted line, f, which will coincide with. the top end edge, '1', of the box proper when the carton is completely closed, while the other end flap, g, is similarly bent downwardly and inwardly and folded along the line, it, which will on incide with the bottom end edge, j, of the finall closed box.

Slice 31 comprises a transverse tie piece 35 which. unites a pair of carton pusher fingers 36 each of which has tongue and groove enga ement with the magazine table so as to be ongitudinally slidablc therein. The inner end of each linger is inclined up wardly and has a transverse substantially right angled notch, 37, formed therein, so as to provide a forwardly extended wcdge-- shaped upper edge which projects above the bottom of magazine 33 by an amount not to exceed the thickness of a single carton, two slots 38 being cut in said bottom for this purpose. The edge m of the carton fits in the notch 37 as the carton is being fed. from the magazine and the carton walls adjacent said edge will rest a ainst and be pressed upon by the walls of t l fingers feed the carton into its conveyor chain compartment.

Also mounted upon main shaft 2 is an eccentric 39 provided with an eccentric rod 40 which is connected with one arm of a bell crank lever 41 pivotally mounted upon :a transverse shaft 41. The other arm of the bell crank lever, b a pivotally attached link 42, is connected with an arm of a vertically )ivoted bell crank lever 43 on the forwar side of'the table and the other arm of this last named bell crank, by a cross link 43, to one arm of a similarly disposed bell crank lever 44 on the opposite side of the table; i

Attached to bell crank lever, 43, so as to move with it, is a folder arm, 45, which serves to turn in the li c at the outer end of the carton, while a link 45' connects bell crank 44 to a transversely pivoted lip folder. 45 on the other side of the machine, for turning in the corresponding lip a at the receivingend of the carton, as will later be described.

Fixed upon the same shaft as hell crank lever, 41, but at the other side of the machine, is an upstanding operating arm, i6, connected by a link, 47, to the shorter arm of a bell crank lever, pivotallymounted upon a bracket, 48, carried by the frame; the longer arm, 49, of this lever constitutes a wiping device or can delivering sweep for forcing the packed sardine can into the mouth or receiving end of the carton.

Pivotally mounted upon the magazine table, 32, so as to swing parallel therewith and promoting centrally and forwardly to about the inner edge of the slots, 38, is a pair of carton opemng knives, 50, the lower surfaces of which are parallel with the surface of the magazine table and s aced therefrom by an amount substantia ly equal to the thickness of the material of which the carton is made. The upper surface is 1e notch as the pusher beveled to a sharp inner edge, 51. The knives. 50, tend ordinarily to be drawn toward one another and against stops, 52, by springs, 53 (Fig. ll).

()n the front side of the magazine table, between knife 50 and the stack of cartons, is a lint boss 5-1 raised above the surface of the table by an amount equal to the thickness of two or three cartons, or say to and in about the same relative position on the other side of the table is a similar de ])l't .--ll t)ll Bent leaf springs, 56, are fixed upon the driivery end of the magazine and exert a gentle pressure upon the top of the magazine table; one of these springs is disposed so as to extend into depression, 55.

The outer face of sprocket wheel, 13, carries a solid cam, 56', provided with aperipheral guide surface, 57, (having the form of an eight pointed star) with which is engaged a pin, 58, at one end of a connecting link 59; the other end of this link is pivotally attached to a crank arm. (30, which is fastened to a transverse shaft, 61, having fixed thereon, at its center, a carton depressing finger, 62; a spring (32, tends to keep this finger in its lowermost position at all times.

Fixed to oppos te sides of slides 31 and beneath the magazine table, (Fig. 11), is a pair of knife operating screws, 63. As the Slltll' movcs forwardly the points of these screws contact with arms, (it, attached to and moving with knives, 50, (but on the lower side of the table) and throw the knives outwardly against the resistance of springs. 53. These screws are adjustable linearly so that the point at which, in the movement of the slide, the knives, 50, are thrown outwardly, may be varied.

'l'ransverse bridges 35. i6, (i7, overhang thc convcycr chain; from the ends of these bridgc are suspended longitudinally dis poscd llal guide bars. (38, (it). parallel with the top of the machine and distanced from it by an amount just suflicicnt to lightly press against the top of the carton when the latter is opencd up (l ig. The outer edges of these guide bars coincide with the ends of the carton proper.

At the front and rear of the machine, a short distance before bridge. 61''). is reached, and just outside the ends of the carton proper al'c vertical strips. 70. 71, the former suspended from guide bar (38. and the latter supported from the top of the machine. The cnds of these strips toward the magame are bent. laterally outward so that. as the carton is carried along by the couleyer chain. the lips, I and. (I, will contact with these outwardly bent portions and he turned in against the contained sardine can.

At each end ol the'brldge fil are pins, 72, T which carry short folder plates, 74,75,

which are parallel with strips 70, T1, and separated from them by all amount corresponding to the distance between lines It and respectively, of the carton end flaps, and the lines j and i which represent the ends of the carton proper. The rear folder plate, 74, is spaced slightly away from the machine top while the other folder plate, 75, is similarly spaced away from an upper bar 76, flush with and just dutside of bar (it).

At the rear of the machine. just outside plate, 74, and of equal length therewith, is a strip, 77; the end of this strip nearest the magazine lies flat upon the machine top but the outer edge of the strip is twisted upwardly and inwardly through a right angle so that its other end is parallel with and closely adjacent to plate 7* A strip, 78, similar to strip, Tl). is held against the lower side of bar. 76, just. out side of folder plate 75.

Fixed upon the rear of the machine top, and extending from just beyond bridge, (30. to the delivery end of the machine, is a carton closing trough, 71). This is, preferably, a bar in the inner side of which is formed .a channel or trough into which the cud flap of the carton passes from the folder plate and strip. At the end toward the magazine this trough has a horizontal wall, 80, which lies upon the machine top and a vertical outer boundary wall. 81. As the channel advances toward the delivery end of the machine it continuously twists clockwise until, at its end, the vertical wall has passed through a horizontal upper portion and dis appc: red while the horizontal wall has hecome a vertical wall.

As the -arton cnd flap passes through the channel the portion outside of line f will engage the wall. 81, while the inner portion will engage the wall, 80.

Vertical strip 70, begins to taper upwardly shortly beyond the bridge ('16 and ends just before lllr wall becomes truly vertical.

A trough 82. similar to 79 but reversed as to-top and bottom is disposed on the front side of the machine; this trough is hung from above and docs for the front end flap of thecarton what trough, 79, does for thc rear end flap. The strip, 71. ends at the same point as strip. '70, but tapcrs downwardly toward its end instead of upwardly.

The operation of my machine is as follows:

The cartons. as previously mentioned. arc

supplied to the machine in collapsed form with lips and end flaps evtended as shown in Figs. 13-45. this IS the form in which they come from the manulacturcrs. A stack of these cartons is placcd ir the magazine 33. -As the machiuc is arranged it is important, that the cartons be positioned in thc magazine as indicated. Le. with the cod flap attached to the bottom of the rarlou lilo projecting to the rear and lying toward the delivery end of the machine. In this Way when the carton is opened up the bottom ren'iains stationary while the tOp rises and moves forwardly. being pivoted on the lines I. and J.

The machine is now started. During substantially the first quarter revolution of driving shaft. 2, the receiving element (3 of the Geneva stop. and its shaft, 7, will be rotated through 90 thereby advancing the conveyorchitin. 17. with its compartments, ill. by a corresponding amount. During this time rain groove, 24-, through rod, 27, lever, 28. and link. 30, will have brought the carton pusher fingers, 30, against the lowermost. carton in the magazine and will have pushed said carton forwardly upon the magazine table. As the forward outer portion of reiarend flap, 0, passes over the depression. 55. it will be pushed downwardly therein by the spring. 56. Similarly, on the front of the machine, the forward outer portion of end flap. y, will be elevated by the boss. 5 In this way the end, flap. e, and the lip, 71, at the rear of the machine, are slightly separated and. similarly, at the front of the machine, the end flap. g, and lip. (I, are separated. As the carton moves forwardly knife. 50. at the rear of the machine will slip between the separated end flap. e, and lip, I), and the other knife, 50, at the front of the machine will slip between end llap. g, and lip. (Z. The outer ends of these knives. owing to the tension of springs. 53. will be thrust entirely into the ends of the carton proper so as to separate the top from the bottom.

()wing to the fact that that portion of rain groove, 24. which controls the inward movement of the pusher fingers subtcnds more than 9U of arc, the conveyor chain will have stopped before the pusher fingers have reached the limit of their stroke. The carton will, therefore. be brought up firmly against a partition, '18, and, the motion of the pusher lingers continuing, the top of the box will. be raised. pivoting upon edges, 7, and fl, and the carton completely opened.

Just before the carton is thus completely opened up as above, the knife operating screws, 63. will contact with arms. 64. thus forcing the knives outwardly and freeing them from the carton. (See dotted construction Fig. 11).

During this quarter revolution of shaft. 7. sprocket wheel, 13. will have been rotated through one-eighth revolution. This will cause the carton depressing linger, 62. through cam 36'. link 59, and crank arm 60, to be brought down upon the carton at an appropriate time so as to sent it firmlyin the compartment 19. (living to the tension of spring. 62. this finger, 62. remains at rest upon the carton after it has been fed is bringing the pusher finger back to their original position after which time their op: erations are repeated to bring forward a' second carton.

The conveyor chain, being directly connected with and positivel driven by the receiving element of the xeneva sto only moves during the first quarter of one revolution of the main shaft. The advancing of the carton from the magazine end to the delivery end of the machine is, therefore, intermittent.

During the second revolution of the main shaft the carton which has just been placed in a compartment, 19, at position p, is advauccd to position, Q, and during the third revolution of the main shaft will be advanced to position 1' opposite the center of the cam feeding table 22.. Just before the carton reaches this last position the lip d, on the front of the machine, will contact with the out-turned end of strip 71 and be turned inwardly so as to partially close the end of the carton. Simultaneously therewith the folder arm, 45, will be actuated through hell crank lever, 43, link, 42, rod, 40 and eccentric, 39 so as to similarly turn in the adjacent lip c on the magazine side of the carton.

For each' advance of the carton conveyor chain. caused by the movement of the (iencva stop. shaft 14 will rotate through one-eighth of a revolution thereby causin the can feeding table 22 to be turne through one-quarter revolution. This can feeding table contains four compartments seated 90 apart into which the packed sardine cans are successively placed. The table is so. set that as the conveyor chain stops with a carton in position 1 opposite the center of the can feeding table, this latter will present a compartment directly in line with the carton (Fig. 3). From this position on the can feedingtable the sardine can will be swept into the carton by the sweeping device. 49. actuated through link, 47 operating arm. -16. shaft. 41', ecu-ntr c rod. 40. and eccentric. 39.

.\s the now filled carton continues to ad vain-e with successive revolutions of the main shaft the lip b. at rear of and toward the delivery end of the machine. will be pressed against the out turned end of strip,

bell crank lever, 41.

and be pressed inwardly; at the same time lip folder 45 will be swung down wardly, by means of bell (rank hue! l-l' and cross link. 44, so as to turn in lip. o. All the lips of the carton are now closed but the end flaps arc still fully extended.

As the lips. I), and. (I, meet the strips, 70, and, T1, the ends. 0, and 9, pass. respectively under and over said strips.

The carton now passes on under bracket. (so. with the end flap. c. lying against the machine top and the opposite end flap. 9 against the under surface of bar, 76 (Fig. 4). End iiap. c. will thcrcbv be brought under t'older plate, T4, and end flap, r over folder plate, at the same time the extreme end portions of each end tlap (the parts utside lines, f, and, 1?.) are caused to meet the strips, 77, and 78, whereby they are turned sharply upwardly and downwardly. respectively.

The carton will now reach the closing troughs. 79, and 82, and the end flaps will, respectively. enter therein with the two parts of each flap on the two sides of the lines. f, and, h, in contact with the two walls of the trough. Advancing along these troughs the end flaps are swung inwardly by the twist of the trough until, finally when the carton reaches the position where the channel wall has become truly vertical. the end portions outside of lines, f. and. i, will he found tucked within the carton between the edges of the lips.and the under surface of either the top or bottom of carton as the case may be. The opposite vertical walls of the troughs, 79. and, 82, being the same distance apart as the ends of the carton proper, (lines 1'. and and the guide bars 68, and. (it). being spaced t'rom the machine top by the thickness of the filled carton the several lines along which the lips and end flaps are closed will be sharp and clean cut.

The filled cartons will. finally, be carried tree of the machine at the delivery end there ot. by the convcyer chain.

Vhile l have described my machine as intended for placing packed sardine cans in cartons it is clear that other cans. packages. or even grouped masses of loose material could be arranged to be boxed without making other changes in the machine than could readily be accomplished by mere mechanical skill.

Furthermore. while I have described my machine as one in which the carton conveyer chain is advanced and the can feeding table rotated intermittently. such motion is not. essential and slight changes in the individual mechanical movements would permit con tinuous and uniform motion of these parts within the scope of the invention.

Having described my invention. l claim:

1. in a machine of the class described. a

'tlap conveyer chain having compartments, a magazine for holding stacked collapsed ca tons said magazine having a slot in the bottom thereof. a reciprocable pusher finger fitted to said slot and arranged to remove a single carton from the bottom of the stack and place it in a compartment of the conveycr chain. a pair of laterally disposed carton opening knives arranged to slip between the top and bottom of the carton, and means for placing a can in the carton and then closing the carton at each end.

2. In a machine of the class described, a magazine for holding a stack of collapsed cartons, means for sliding a single carton from beneath the stack, means for depressing the bottom end flap of the carton, means for raising the top end flap, a carton opening knit'e adjacent each end of the carton arranged to slip between the top and bottom of the carton so as to open it, means for withdrawing said knives from the carton, and means for placing a can in the carton and closing the ends of the same upon said ('ll.

3. In a machine of the class described and adapted to place cans in cartons having a bottom end tiara at one end and a top end at the other end. a table, means for carrying the filled carton along the table with the end flaps extended, a folding plate at each end of the carton spaced therefrom by the thickness thereof and from the end liap by its thickness. and a strip immediately adj accnt to but outside the folder plate for bending the outer portion of the end flap toward the carton.

4. 111 a machine of the class described, in cr'anbination with means for filling the cal,- ton. folding in the end lips. and folding the outer portion of the end flaps toward the carton. a trough adjacent each end of the carton said trough having two walls adapt ed to respectively engage the outer and the inner portions of the flaps, said trough being twisted through 90- so as to tuck the end Hap into the carton.

5. in a machine of the class described, a magazine holding stacked collapsed cartons, a con veyer chain having compartments, means for placing cartons successively in said compartments. a rotary can feeding table. means for simultaneously moving the convcyer chain and the can fccding table to bring a can opposite a carton, an oscillating sweeping device for pushing the can into the carton and means for thereafter closing the carton at each end.

(3. in a machine of the class described, a magaainc holding stacked collapsed cartons, an intermittently movab e conveyer chain having compartments. a reciprocable pusher linger arranged to remove a single carton from the stack and push it against a front wall oi a compartment, the movement 0f the finger continuing with respect to that of the my hand in the presence of two subscribing conveyer chziln ultil tbs carlion is comwltnesses. p ete y opene an seate in t e compart --1 ment, and means for thereafter placing a ROBERT JONhS 5 can in the carton and closing the ends of the Witnesses:

carton thereupon. RALPH HINDLEY, In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set M. C. MAcLEon. 

